Cigarette lighter



Jan. 6, 1953 A. MGNEILL 2,624,188

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Original Filed NOV. 15, 1946 jg E a I ll J ,g0 i? A UEMENELu Patented Jan. 6, 1953 2,624,188 c c mu'r'rs LIGHTER AngusMcNeil], Chicago, Ill.

Continuation of applic November 3 946,-

1950, Serial 154,237

ation Serial No. 409,459,

This application April 6,

s Claims (01. 67-71) The present invention relates to a cigarettelighter using a revolving piece of flint to rub with its flat endagainst a friction wheel at one end thereof, thereby producing a spark.This is an improvement over present type of lighters which have astationary flint which quickly wears down producing a hollow surface. Inmy lighter, on the other hand, the flint, with its tension spring, iscarried in a rotating sleeve with positive mechanical operation, whichrotates the flint approximately 15 degrees with each operation of thelighter causing a constantly fiat flint head tobe presented to thefriction wheel, givingsaid friction wheel a point contact with the flintcausing a better and more sure spark with each use, as if the flint werenew each time, also causing the spark to travel on a constant tangenttowards the Wick instead of varying with the amount of concavityof theconventional stationary flint. This also tends to prolong the life ofthe flint.

The present application is a continuation of my abandoned priorapplication Serial No. 709,459 filed November 13, 1946.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing whereinlike numerals denote the same detail'sin the different views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lighter open, ready for use;

Figure 2 is a fractional, vertical section of the lighter block or bodytaken on a plane in axial direction of the flint;

Figure 3 is a similar view of said block or body taken transversely toFigure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the flint and details of mounting;

Figure 5 is a similar view of the actuating plunger; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 6-6 ofFigure 4. t

In the drawing, reference numeral Ill denotes the casing of the lighterand II the cover or hood which is hinged at one of its ends to one ofthe shorter sides of the topend thereof toenclose the sparkingmechanism, when the lighter is not in use.

Mounted on top of the casing I0 is a solid rectangular body I2, whichextends inward from-the end thereof to which the cover I I is hinged, asat I I, to a point spaced from a friction wheel I9 that is mounted forrotation adjacent the opposite end of the same. The body I2 i providedwith a longitudinal bore I3, extending through the same in line :Withthefriction wheel I9. and

with a transverse bore Id side thereof and having its inner endcommunicating with a chamber I2, which has its lower side communicatingwith the upper side of the bore I3, medially between the ends of thelatter.

Housed within the bore I3 is a hollow cylindrical member or sleeve I6,which has its ends formed to a reduced diameter to provide bearingshoulders IS; the inner end of the bore I3 being also similarly reducedto receive the shoulder at the inner end of the sleeve, while the outerend of the bore is closed by a screw plug 20, after the insertion of thesleeve inwardly thereof. The inner end of the screw plug 20 is openingthrough one provided with a circular depression or recess to receive thebearing shoulder I8 at the outer end of the sleeve. Thus, by theprovision of the shoulders I3 at the ends of the sleeve I6 anylengthwise shifting of the sleeve is prevented. Formed on the exteriorsurface of the sleeve I6 is a circular series of elements H, such asgear teeth or the like, which are positioned on the sleeve so as to beexposed at the opening establishing communication between the top sideof the bore I3 and the lower side of the chamber I2 and engaged by theinner end of a plunger 25 slidable relatively thereto in the bore I4;the movement of the plunger, preferably, being suchthat the sleeve willbe turned through fifteen degrees of angular movement, whenever theplunger is actu-- ated.

An elongated flint I5, of rectangular cross.-sec-.

tion, has one end engaged in the inner endof a coiled spring 2| and,together with the latter,:i's inserted inwardly of the outer end of thesleeve I6, upon the removal of the screw plug 20, and projected from theinner end of the sleeve until its forward end bears against theperiphery of the friction wheel I9. To maintain the tension of thespring 2|, as required to force the hint into contact with the wheelperiphery, a screw element 22 is engaged in the outer end of the springand is provided with a substantially sperical head 22, which has bearingin a second depression or recess formed in the inner end of the screwplug 20 and centrally of the aforesaid circular depression or recess inwhich the outer end of the sleeve is supported.

Housed within the chamber I 2 is a coiled spring 21, which is-angularlydisposed to have its lower end seated over a lug 25, formed on the upperside of the inner end of the plunger 25, and its upper end engaged in arecess, formed in the outer side wall of the chamber immediatelyadjacent to an opening leading from-the latter through said wall forconvenience in the removal and replacement of the spring when necessary,the opening being normally closed by a screw plug 28. With the cover Hnormally closed, the plunger 25 is held at its innermost position by theengagement of its outer end with the adjacent side wall of the cover. Inthis position of the plunger 25, the spring 21 is held under tension soas to force the plunger outwardly of the bore [4 to position its outerend in the path of movement of said side wall, whenever the cover ismoved to open position; the bore [4 being formed to provide a slightclearance above the plunger 25 to allow its inner end to ride over thegear teeth I? during such movement. The outward movement of the plunger25, under the urging of the spring 21, is limited by oppositely beveledsurfaces formed at the upper sides of the outer ends of the bore [4 andthe plunger, the latter otherwise being rounded off to facilitate themovements of the side wall of the cover relatively thereto.

Due to the angular disposition of the spring 27, its resiliency allowsfor the upward movement of the inner end of the plunger 25 necessary forit to ride back over the teeth I! during the movement of the sameoutwardly of the bore 14 and, at the same time its expansion effort onthe inner end of the plunger, when the outer end of the latter iscleared by the cover wall, acts to force the outward movement thereof aswell as to maintain it in proper position for its inner end to engagethe toothed portion of the sleeve l6, when the cover is returned toclosed position.

A wick tube I9 opens into the casing I ll and rises from its top wall inthe plane of the tangential discharge of sparks produced by themanipulation of the friction wheel l9 relatively to the end of the flintl5 forcibly contacting the periphery of the wheel by the action of thespring 2 I.

When the hood II is closed, the plunger will then be pushed back againstthe pressure of the spring 2! and revolve the sleeve l6 with the flint.

- I claim:'

1. In a friction lighter of the type having a support, a friction wheelcarried on said support, a flint movable into abutment with said wheel,feed means resiliently urging said flint against said wheel, a fuelreservoir having means for conducting fuel therefrom positionedsubstantially in the path of sparks produced by rotation of said wheelagainst said flint, and a cover pivoted to said support for movementbetween closed position enclosing said wheel, flint and fuel conductingmeans and open position exposing said latter elements, in combination,means supporting said flint for sliding feed movement toward said wheeland for rotation about the feed axis of said flint, and means forrotating said flint including a driving element actuated by said coverin moving from one to another. of its said two positions.

. 2 In a friction lighter of the type having a support, a friction wheelcarried on said support, a flint movable into abutment with said wheel,feed means resiliently urging said flint against said wheel, a fuelreservoir having means for conducting fuel therefrom positionedsubstantially in the path of sparks produced by rotationof said wheelagainst said flint, and a cover pivoted to said support for movementbetween closed position enclosing said wheel, flint and fuel conductingmeans and open position exposing said latter elements, in combination, aguide for said flint carried by said support for rotation about the axisof said flint and guiding said flint for sliding feed movement by saidfeed means, said guide holding said flint for rotation therewith, adriven element rotatable as a unit with said guide, and means includinga driving element actuated by said cover in moving from one to anotherof its said two positions for turning said driven element, and therebysaid guide and flint, a predetermined extent about said axis.

3. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a hinged cover normally enclosingthe top end of said casing, a friction wheel mounted for rotation on thetop end of said casing, a tubular member mounted for rotation on the topend of said casing, a flint projecting from one end of said tubularmember and into contacting relation with the periphery of said wheel, aspring housed within said tubular member to maintain said flint incontact with the wheel periphery, means actuated by closing movements ofsaid cover to impart limited turning movements to said tubular memberand said flint to change the contacting relation of the latter withrespect to the wheel periphery, and a fuel reservoir having means forconducting fuel therefrom supported in the plane of the tangentialdischarge of sparks emitted from the contacting end of said flint.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, with a substantially rectangularbody mounted on the top end of said casing at one side of said frictionwheel and having said tubular member housed within a bore extendinglongitudinally through the same, said body having a second boreextending transversely inward of one side thereof, the inner end of saidsecond bore being in communication with the top side of saidlongitudinal bore, a circular series of abutments formed on the exteriorof said tubular member and adapted to move through the plane of thebottom side of said second bore whenever the tubular member is rotated,a plunger slidable in said second bore for the cooperation of its innerend with said abutments to affect the turning of said tubular member andsaid flint, and a spring housed within said body and adapted tocooperate with the inner end of said plunger to urge the same outwardlyof said second bore whenever said cover is swung to open positionwhereby the outer end of the plunger is disposed in the path of closingmovement of the cover, said plunger being forced inwardly against thetension of said spring and into engagement with the nearest of saidabutments upon the closing of said cover. 5. A lighter comprising abody, a fuel reservoir depending from said body, means for conductingfuel out of said reservoir, a flint, means on said body slidablycarrying said flint and rotatable therewith about the axis of the flint,a friction element, means mounting said friction element on said bodyfor movement across and in contact with said flint in a direction tostrike and throw a spark into the fuel at said fuel-conducting means,resilient means for feeding the'flint in said flint carrying means intoposition for contact with said friction element, means on said bodyoperative independently of the feed of said flint for turning said flintcarrying means and the flint carried thereby about the axis of the flintto present said flint to said friction member in progressively differentrotational positions, and operator controlled means for actuating saidrotating means on said body.

6. A lighter comprising a casing, a fuel reservoir in said casing, meansfor conducting fuel out of said reservoir, a flin means slidablycarrying said flint and rotatable therewith about the aids of the flint,a friction element, means mounting said friction element for movementacross and in contact with said flint in a direction to strike and throwa spark into the fuel at said fuel con ducting means, resilient meansfor feeding the flint in said flint carrying means into position forcontact with said friction element, a cover supported on said casing formovement between a closed position enclosing at least said fuelconducting means and open position exposing said fuel conducting means,means operative independently of the feed of said flint for turning saidflint carrying means and the flint carried thereby about the axis of theflint to present said flint to said friction member in progressivelydifferent rotational positions, and means actuated by movement of saidcover from one to the other of its two said positions for actuating saidturning means.

7. In a lighter of the type having a body, a fuel reservoir dependingfrom said body, means for conducting fuel from said reservoir, a flint,a friction element rotatably carried on said body for movement acrossand in contact with said flint in a direction to throw a spark into fuelat said fuel conducting means, feed means resiliently urging said flintinto position to be engaged by said friction element, in combination, aguide means for said flint carried by said body for rotation about thelongitudinal axis of said flint and guiding said flint for longitudinalsliding feed movement by said feed means, said guide holding said flintfor rotation therewith, a driven element unitary with said guide meansand rotatable about said axis and having a series of abutments thereon,and means including a driving element carried by said body in positionfor predetermined movement in positive driving engagement with theabutments of said driven element for turning the latter about its axisand thereby said guide and flint to an extent corresponding to themovement of said driving element and a pivotally mountedoperator-controlled member for actuating said driving element.

8. A lighter comprising a body, a fuel reservoir, depending from saidbody, means for conducting fuel out of said reservoir, a flint, meansrotatably carried in said body and slidably supporting said flint forrotation therewith about the axis of the flint, a friction element,means mounting said friction element on said body for movement acrossand in contact with said flint in a direction to strike and throw aspark into the fuel at said fuel-conducting means, spring means on saidbody for slidably urging said flint in said carrying means into contactwith said friction element independently of the turning movement of saidflint, means for turning said flint-carrying means and the flint carriedthereby about the axis of the flint to present said flint to saidfriction element in progressively different rotational positions and anoperated member pivotally mounted on said body for actuating saidturning means.

ANGUS McNEILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,027,900 Ramsdell May 28, 19121,464,203 Hutchinson Aug. 7, 1923 1,762,281 Stecker June 10, 19301,906,217 Scully Apr. 25, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country v Date297,188 Great Britain Sept. 20, 1928 917,306 France of 1946

